Cannondale-Garmin secured another top 10 finish at the Giro d’Italia on Wednesday with Ryder Hesjedal crossing the line in seventh place in Imola. The Canadian was part of a breakaway that formed in the second hour of racing following a fast and frenzied start to stage 11.

The 153km stage was lumpy from start to finish and the profile encouraged the early animation.

“The race was so hard initially that no one team could take control,” explained sports director Charles Wegelius. “There were riders everywhere in the early part of the race. It was a bit crazy. In moments like that, someone like Ryder, who normally couldn’t sneak away, can have a chance.”

Hesjedal was one of ten riders able to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the chaotic start. The breakaway stretched out their advantage to nearly four minutes as BMC Racing and Tinkoff-Saxo patrolled the front of the peloton. By the mid-point of the stage, the peloton had halved the breakaway’s advantage and split into several smaller groups.

“Ryder was racing to win,” said Wegelius. “He was going for the stage. The other riders in the move shared the objective of the break getting to the finish, and the riders worked well together until they reached the circuits.”

The peloton continued to chase in the second half of the stage. Although they had gained two minutes with relative ease, shutting down the remainder of the break’s advantage proved a far bigger ask. The group of ten out front split over the finish circuit climb on lap one, and Hesjedal rode himself into the right end of the split with 1:30 over the peloton at the start of lap two.

Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) attacked the break in the second of three finish circuit laps. Twenty kilometers from the finish, Zakarin immediately gained distance over Hesjedal and company.

“Ryder’s reputation proceeds him in situations like this one,” noted Wegelius. “When Zakarin went away, the other guys in the break were looking to Ryder to do the lion’s share of the work to bring back the leader. The collaboration got lost at the end.”

Zakarin held on to win the stage. Hesjedal’s chase group reached the finish line 53 seconds after the stage winner and nine seconds ahead of the maglia rosa group.

“It was an extremely positive day for the team,” said Wegelius. “When you have a break like Ryder’s and two teams separately try to bring it back and are unable to do it, that means you’re riding quite hard in the front. We haven’t missed a breakaway yet, and there’s something to be said about that.”

Thursday’s stage 12 is an 185km stage ending in Vicenza. The day starts out flat and concludes with three categorized climbs in the last 60 kilometers.